


A Happy Little Family

by Wildcard_Rumi



Series: Persona 5 One Shots [4]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Timeskip to when they're all adults
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21723028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wildcard_Rumi/pseuds/Wildcard_Rumi
Summary: An average day in Ren and Haru's happily married adult life with their adorable little daughter. Although, Ren notices that Haru seems to be acting a little strange today.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren & Okumura Haru, Kurusu Akira/Okumura Haru
Series: Persona 5 One Shots [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1731472
Comments: 6
Kudos: 96





	A Happy Little Family

**Author's Note:**

> In my first playthrough, I romanced Haru so she has a special little place in my heart. And honestly? My favourite thing about this pairing is the sheer domestic potential so, of course, I had to write something.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

The irritating sound of the alarm clock flooded through Ren's ears. He groaned tiredly and rolled over, wrapping his arm around Haru's waist as he tried to ignore the sound.

"Don't you think you should get up now?" Haru giggled sleepily. Ren just moaned childishly and snuggled his face into her hair. Haru just smirked at her husband. He wasn't a morning person at all, but she knew that he was going to wake up very soon…

Three…

Two…

One…

"Daddy! Time to wake up!" A cheerful voice shouted as a small child ran into the room and flung herself onto Ren.

"Oof!" Ren gasped as the air was knocked out of him.

"Daddy! C'mon! Get up! Get up! Time for school!" The girl excitedly giggled, bouncing up and down on her father's stomach.

"Ichigo, careful! You don't wanna hurt daddy, right?" Haru gently warned her, petting the small girl's fluffy raven hair. Ichigo's chestnut eyes widened at those words as she turned her attention back to her dad.

"Sorry daddy…" She mumbled with a dejected pout.

"It's alright…" Ren sluggishly grunted as he reached over to his bedside table and turned off the alarm clock. He carefully picked up his glasses and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before slipping them onto his face. He let out a long, loud yawn and stretched his back. After sitting quietly for a few seconds, a smile spread across his face.

"Good morning, my little princess!" He cheered as he playfully wrapped his arms around his daughter and cuddled her tightly. Ichigo laughed happily.

"Daaaaaaddy…! Your beard is tickling me!" She giggled as he rubbed his face against hers.

"I think you need to have a quick shave." Haru chuckled, stroking Ren's stubble. Ren hummed thoughtfully as he checked his chin himself.

"Well, I think we should probably get ready for the day… We don't want a little lady being late for school." He announced, pinching his daughter's nose cheekily.

"And we don't want mummy and daddy being late for work!" Ichigo added as she leapt down from the bed.

"Who's turn is it for taking Ichigo to school?" Ren asked Haru as the little lady in question skipped out of the room.

"Mine." Haru informed him as she daintily stood up.

"Alright, you get dressed while I make breakfast… I'll get myself ready afterwards." Ren planned out, scratching his back as he made the bed.

"Thank you, sweetheart." Haru sighed blissfully, planting a thankful kiss on Ren's cheek.

"I'm going to have a quick shower." She told him as she picked out her outfit from the wardrobe.

"Alright." Was Ren's simple response as he wandered out to the kitchen.

"Are you doing okay in there, Ichigo?" He called out to his daughter as he turned on the stove.

"Yep!"

"You are getting dressed, aren't you?"

"Yep!"

Ren smiled softly as he listened to his daughter's cheerful humming. He decided to keep breakfast simple, with just some toast, eggs and bacon. He quietly put the radio on and listened to music as he cracked the eggs into the pan. The moment he began frying the bacon, he heard movement from the armchair in the corner of the living room.

"Good morning, Morgana." He called out, not looking away from the pan.

"Morning…" Morgana yawned as he stretched and jumped up onto one of the chairs at the table.

"You want some bacon too?" Enquired Ren with a knowing smile.

"Yes, please." Morgana purred. Ren took a couple of rashes out of the pan and placed them on a plate to cool down while he properly cooked the rest.

"Daaaaddyyyyy…" Ichigo whined as she walked into the kitchen, her tiny bare feet padding against the tiled floor.

"Hm? What is it, Pumpkin?" Ren asked her, positioning himself between her and the oven.

"Could you help me brush my hair?" She asked, pulling out the hairbrush and hairbands she was holding behind her back.

"Uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh…" Ren awkwardly mumbled with a glance towards his cooking. Him and Haru were notorious in their friendship group for having insanely fluffy hair and Ichigo happened to inherit that from both of them, so her hair was… difficult to tame, to put it lightly.

"Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaassssseeeee~?" Ichigo pleaded, pulling out the puppy dog eyes. Ren frowned worriedly at the sight. He was weak for those eyes… In the end, he sighed and turned down the heat on the oven before gesturing for Ichigo to hand over the hairbrush.

"Yay! Thank you, daddy!" She cheered as Ren knelt down to her height.

"What do you want me to do with your hair?" He asked as he began to very gently run the brush through her hair.

"Bunches! Like Auntie Ann!" Ichigo giggled excitedly.

"Okay…" Ren mumbled worriedly. Hair styling wasn't exactly a speciality of his… And sure enough, as he began to properly brush her hair, the hairbrush got stuck.

"Ow!"

"Sorry, sweetheart…" Ren muttered a quick apology as he tried to free it from the tangled mess. After a very long struggle, Ren managed to wrestle his daughter's hair into passable bunches.

"I… tried my best, so I hope they're good enough." He mumbled awkwardly as he placed the hairbrush onto the table.

"Thank you!" Ichigo shouted as she playfully swung her hair side to side.

"No problem… Breakfast isn't gonna be ready just yet, so why don't you go watch TV for a little while?" He suggested as he turned the heat back up.

"Okay~!" Ichigo sang as she marched off before quickly stopping in her tracks.

"Morning, Mona-Mona!" She greeted the black cat with a soft scratch on his fluffy cheeks. Morgana let out a contented meow. Happy that she had said hello to Morgana, Ichigo continued on her way to the living room. The cat flashed a smug grin at Ren. Ren pouted back. Ichigo had always adored Morgana, even when she was a baby. Ren was always going to be bitter that her first word was 'cat'... As he continued cooking, he was pulled out of his bitter thoughts by his daughter's voice. He glanced round the corner to find her singing along to the Phoenix Ranger Featherman R opening. He softly chuckled at the cute sight and went back to making breakfast. As the eggs and bacon were almost finished, he placed some bread in the toaster and got the butter out of the fridge. He tapped his chin thoughtfully as he tried to remember if he needed anything else.

"I'm done…" Haru sighed as she entered the kitchen and gently threw her towels into the washing basket.

"Need that shower?" Ren chuckled as he began putting the food on the plates.

"Yeah." Haru replied as she sat herself down at the table. Ren turned around to place the plates on the table and froze.

"... Are you okay? You look kinda pale…" He asked softly as he felt Haru's forehead.

"Hm? I'm fine, what are you talking about?" Haru asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"You just… look paler than usual…" Ren muttered worriedly, despite not feeling much heat from Haru's forehead.

"I'm fine? I don't feel ill at all." Haru replied bluntly.

"Alright… Do you want a cup of coffee?" Ren asked, changing the subject back to breakfast.

"Oh, yes please!" Haru giggled, resting her chin in her hands with a cheerful smile.

"Hey! What about my bacon?!" Morgana protested, feeling as if he had been forgotten as Ren began brewing coffee.

"Oh shit, yeah, I forgot about that!" Ren gasped.

"Swear!" Ichigo declared with an accusatory point at her father. Ren's eyes widened as he broke Morgana's bacon into smaller pieces. Haru quietly laughed behind her hand.

"You know the rules!" The small girl added, grinning at Ren over the sofa. Ren let out a defeated sigh as he pulled a five yen coin out of his wallet and placed it in a nearby pot. Contented with this, Ichigo sat back down and continued watching the TV.

"How does she hear me every time?" Ren whispered to Haru as he poured out two cups of coffee. Haru just shrugged with an amused smirk on her face.

"Be fair, you weren't exactly quiet that time." Morgana remarked. Ren ended up nodding in agreement.

"Ichigo! Breakfast is ready!" Haru called out as Ren placed her coffee in front of her.

"What do you want to drink?" Ren asked as he placed Morgana's plate of bacon in front of the cat.

"Thank you!" He cheered, waiting politely for everyone to sit at the table before he started eating.

"Orange juice, please!" Ichigo answered as she clambered up onto her chair, still able to watch Featherman as she ate.

"Orange juice… And do you want some milk, Morgana?" Ren muttered as he opened the fridge.

"Yes please!" Replied Morgana. Ren pulled out the two cartons he required; pouring orange juice into a plastic cup and milk into a saucer.

"Here you go!" He cheerfully announced as he deliberately placed the wrong drinks in front of his daughter and his cat.

"Daddy! Cats don't drink orange juice!" Ichigo laughed brightly, extremely amused by her father's 'mistake'.

"Don't they?! Oh, silly me! Let me fix that right now." Ren gasped out in pretend shock. Ichigo continued giggling as Morgana rolled his eyes with a hidden smirk on his face. Finally, Ren sat himself down at the table.

"Thanks for the food!" They all said before quickly digging in. As Ren glanced up at Haru, he noticed that she was completely avoiding her egg.

"Did I undercook it?" He asked carefully.

"Oh, no. No, I'm just not particularly in the mood for eggs today…" Haru dismissed his question and munched on her toast.

"Okay…" Ren muttered. Something about Haru seemed off today, he just couldn't quite figure out what it was…

"You can have it, if you want." Haru sweetly offered as she took a sip of her coffee.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay… Hey, Ichigo, do you want half of mummy's egg?" Ren asked as he placed the egg onto his plate.

"Yesh, pweashe!" Ichigo happily replied.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Her parents reprimanded her in unison. She furiously chewed her mouthful and swallowed it.

"Sorry…" She apologised before taking a large gulp of her orange juice. Haru couldn't help but giggle lovingly at her daughter's enthusiasm.

"Here you go." Said Ren as he carefully placed half an egg onto Ichigo's plate.

"Thank you! ...Are you sure you don't want it, mummy?" Ichigo asked, crumbs littering her entire mouth.

"I'm sure." Haru assured her.

"Okay!" Was all Ichigo said before cramming the egg into her mouth.

"Are you hungry, by any chance?" Ren asked sarcastically, hiding his smile behind his cup. Ichigo enthusiastically nodded her head as she continued chomping on her food.

It wasn't long before everyone had finished off their plates. Haru grabbed her phone and handbag as Ren placed all of the dirty dishes in the sink and left them to soak in the warm, soapy water.

"Have you brushed your teeth, Ichigo?" Haru asked as she got herself organised. An awkward expression appeared on Ichigo's face. The answer to that question was clearly 'no'.

"Go brush your teeth." Haru requested as she pulled her keys out of her bag.

"Awwwwwwww! But toothpaste tastes yucky after orange juice!" She whined.

"Ichigo, you can't go to school with eggy breath…" Ren informed her as he dried his hands.

"I don't wanna!"

"Ichigo, do as your mother says."

"But-"

"Ah! Naughty girls who don't brush their teeth don't get to go to the amusement park with Uncle Ryuji on Sunday!" Haru warned her with a stern voice. Ichigo pouted and dragged herself off to the bathroom in defeat. Both adults couldn't help but laugh to themselves. Morgana followed after Ichigo, just to make sure that she did definitely brush her teeth. Ren glanced over at Haru as she gently snickered to herself. Now that he had gotten a better look… She was wearing baggier clothes than usual… Well, the weather was turning colder… Maybe she needed to wear a few extra layers?

After a few minutes, Ichigo reappeared from the bathroom with a disgusted grimace. Morgana nodded his head at the parents.

"There, was that so hard?" Haru giggled as she picked up Ichigo's school bag and handed it to her.

"Bleaugh!" Was all Ichigo said.

"Apparently it was." Ren laughed.

"Do you have your lunch money, Ichigo?" He asked as he pushed himself off the kitchen counter he was leaning on. Ichigo dug through her bag and produced the brown envelope that contained the money.

"Good girl, keep it safe." Ren told her as Haru unlocked the front door.

"I will." Ichigo promised as she carefully placed it back into her bag.

"Have a great day at school, Princess!" Ren yelled as he enveloped his daughter in a huge bear hug, planting a big, sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Ewwwwwwwww!" Giggled Ichigo, wiping her cheek in disgust.

"I'll see you at the café, okay?" Haru softly spoke.

"Yep, see you then. I miss you already." Ren chuckled as he shared a short, sweet kiss with his wife. Haru rolled her eyes with a shy smile.

"Go shave your beard already, nerd." She giggled as she gently grabbed onto Ichigo's hand.

"Bye, daddy! See you after school!" Ichigo called out a final goodbye with a big wave of her free hand.

"Have fun!" Ren called back as he shut the door behind them. After a refreshing stretch of his back, he turned to face Morgana.

"Welp, it's about time we got ourselves sorted out for the day, wouldn't you agree?" He huffed with a casual smirk.

"Why, yes, I would." Morgana replied, jumping into action and organising Ren's bag. The raven haired man quickly turned off the TV as he wandered into the bathroom. He couldn't help but groan quietly to himself as he looked into the mirror.

"Yeesh… Futaba was right, I really am starting to look like Sojiro…" He mumbled under his breath as he inspected the stubble that was littered across his chin. After composing himself, Ren started his usual morning routine: Shower, shave, brush teeth, brush hair, put on deodorant, get dressed, spray a little cologne, give the apartment one final check and meet Morgana in the kitchen.

"Welp, are you ready for another day of work?" Ren asked the cat as he slipped on his shoes.

"Sure am!" Morgana cheered from within Ren's bag. With a determined smirk, Ren pulled out his car keys and began his day.

"-And then she fell down the stairs! I really can't help but worry about her…" Ann finished her story with animated arm movements. Shiho smiled knowingly at her fiancé, tapping her index finger against her coffee cup.

"Well, she only started in the industry a month ago, right? It's probably just beginner's nerves." She remarked, hoping to soothe Ann.

"Yeah, I know… But when I see her getting worked up and jittery like that, I just wanna protect her…" Ann huffed as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Your big sis instincts kicking in again, huh?" Ren chuckled from behind the counter where he was drying up some cups.

"Pretty much." Ann giggled back.

"Maybe you could give her some pointers? Surely getting some advice from a senpai would help her relax a little?" Shiho suggested. Ann nodded thoughtfully as she considered it.

"Well, hey, if you wanna hear something that'll cheer you up: Guess who wanted her hair in bunches like Auntie Ann today." Ren spoke up with a smirk.

"Awwwwwwwww! She's so precious! I love that lil baby… Like, really, I love her so much…" Ann squealed, placing her hand on her chest. Shiho let out a little lovestruck giggle too. As they were about to continue the conversation, the door burst open. And a very exhausted looking Futaba stepped in.

"Coffee. Required. Now." She stated in a monotone voice.

"What time did you finish streaming this time?" Ren asked with a knowing grin as he picked out Futaba's favourite coffee beans.

"Four in the morning…" Futaba groaned as she plonked herself down onto one of the stools. Everyone checked the clock. It was 11:35AM.

"Why didn't you sleep until the afternoon?" Morgana asked from his designated corner.

"There was a livestream announcement for the new Fire Emblem game…" Futaba muttered, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"You're really dedicated to your craft, aren't you?" Ann huffed, flashing a concerned smile at the glasses wearing woman.

"Have you got another stream schedules for tonight?" Shiho asked. Futaba just nodded her head with another tired groan.

"Well… Try to at least have a nap beforehand, okay?" The black haired woman requested.

"Will do…" Futaba sleepily agreed.

Ren nervously checked the time again. 11:35… Haru usually arrived between 9:30 and 10:00… Where was she? After finishing Futaba's drink, he pulled out his phone and dialled her number. He breathed a sigh of relief when she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, sweetheart, where are you? You're usually here by now and I got worried…"

"Oh! Sorry… I had some business to attend to and I forgot to tell you… I'm so sorry, it completely slipped my mind…" Haru apologised, sounding a little flustered.

"It's okay, as long as you're alright…" Ren sighed with a relieved smile on his face.

"I should be there in about five minutes… Oh, and I managed to contact our suppliers and arrange our next few deliveries of coffee beans; I've got the paperwork in my bag." Haru informed her husband.

"Alright, I'll read through all of it when you get here. See you in a few minutes!"

"Yep! See you in a few minutes!"

"Love you!"

"I love you too!"

When Ren looked up, he noticed Futaba staring at him with an unimpressed expression.

"It is way too early for me to deal with your sickeningly sweet marriage right now."

"It's almost noon, though."

"...Shut up."

"You really should try and get some sleep, Futaba…" Morgana sighed, flicking his tail.

"You're lucky I'm too tired to argue with you…" Futaba huffed back before inhaling a large gulp of her coffee.

"Anyway, Shiho. Why are you here? I don't mean to be rude, but I mean… You're a PE teacher… and it's school hours…" Ren awkwardly enquired, not wanting to sound rude.

"The school's closed for the rest of the week for decorators to come in and paint because they were supposed to come in during the half term but the principal forgot to schedule them." Shiho replied bluntly with an unimpressed face.

"That seems like-"

"Bad planning? Yes, the whole faculty agrees." Shiho finished Ren's sentence for him.

"I'm sure the students don't mind, though." Ann added with a smirk.

"Oh, the students are delighted; Parents, not so much." Shiho answered.

"Haha, yeah, I bet!" Ren laughed as he placed the dry dishes back into their respective cupboards. As he stood back up, the bell rang.

"Hello! Look who I happened to bump into at the train station!" Haru cheered as she stepped inside, closely followed by Goro. The chestnut haired man froze as he noticed Futaba.

"Futaba? It's rare to see you up and about before three in the afternoon." He remarked, semi joking. Futaba simply flipped him off.

"Charming." Goro chuckled as he sat himself down in the booth next to Ann and Shiho, carefully placing his laptop onto the table.

"What'll it be?" Ren asked as Haru slipped on her apron.

"Truly, Sojiro 2.0" Futaba muttered from her exhausted heap.

"Shut up." Ren shot back.

"Hehe! You know, with his stubble this morning, he really did look like a younger Sojiro!" Haru added, pecking Ren on the cheek as he frowned at her comment.

"Next thing you know, he'll be smoking like Sojiro." Ann giggled.

"I will never smoke. The smell of cigarettes makes me feel dizzy." Ren refuted.

"Fair enough."

"Anyway… Goro, what'll it be?" Ren huffed, just wanting to change the subject.

"I'll have the house blend with a smoked salmon and salad, please." Goro answered with an amused chuckle.

"Comin' right up."

"Sojiro 2.0…"

"Can it."

"Oh! By the way, Goro, how's the book coming along?" Ann asked excitedly, flipping her around to look at him.

"It's going really well! I've only got about five chapters left to write and then I'll fix any problems the editors find with it." Goro cheerfully responded as he opened up his laptop, ready to start work already.

"What kind of book is it again?" Shiho asked.

"Murder mystery."

"I read some of it for him… It's creepy as hell… He really knows how to build up suspense…" Ren muttered as he began cooking the salmon.

"Thank you! Sae-san told me that she couldn't believe someone with such a baby face could write such a twisted story!" Goro replied with a big, beaming smile on his face.

"...Uh-huh…" was all Morgana said, concern plastered on his face.

"Ooh! I can't wait to read it!" Haru cheered as she prepared the salad.

"S-So… Uh, what's the story?" Shiho awkwardly asked.

"An amateur detective stumbles across a conspiracy after her best friend goes missing and has to solve a serial murder case in order to reach the truth behind everything. But each murder is more gruesome than the last." Goro explained as he slipped on his reading glasses and began typing.

"That… actually sounds really interesting." Ann remarked in surprise.

"What do you mean 'actually'?" Asked Goro, pouring slightly.

"You know what she means…" Futaba huffed. Goro just glared at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Here ya go. One house blend and one smoked salmon with a salad." Ren announced as he carefully placed them onto Goro's table.

"Thanks so much, Ren." Goro replied politely.

"Hey, Goro…" Morgana purred.

"You're not having any of my salmon."

"Don't be so stingy!"

Ren just laughed as the two started to argue.

"Yo! Ren-Ren! Get us some of your best curry 'cause we've got a celebration going on!" Ryuji shouted as he burst into the café.

"...What?" Was the startled Ren's response. Ryuji carefully helped in a young boy with crutches.

"I told this little guy here that if he reached all of his physio goals, I'd take him to eat at my favourite café! And… Here we are!" Ryuji cheered with a prideful grin. Everyone in the café applauded the boy's achievement, making him flush a deep red and smile shyly.

"What's your name, kid?" Ren asked with a soft smile.

"Tobio…" The boy quietly replied.

"Alright then, Tobio, how spicy do you like your curry?"

"Really spicy!" Tobio replied with a determined smirk on his face. Ren smirked back.

"Comin' right up!"

"Would you like a drink?" Haru asked sweetly.

"Um… Would I be allowed to have soda?" Tobio cautiously asked Ryuji.

"Go ahead! You earned it!" Ryuji laughed, helping Tobio sit down.

"Then, can I have some orange soda please?" The boy politely requested.

"Of course! And what would you like, Ryuji?" Haru asked with a kind smile.

"I'll have the exact same as him!"

"Okay!"

"So, what did you need the rehab for?" Goro asked.

"My leg got messed up in a car crash." Tobio bluntly informed him.

"Oh, I've been there with the leg rehab… The first few sessions are horrible, aren't they?" Shiho spoke up, relating to the boy's experiences.

"Yeah… They hurt so much and it's so hard to move your feet…" Tobio replied with a grimace as Ryuji nodded in agreement. The conversation was interrupted as the bell rang.

"Pardon me, is Futaba- Oh, there she is." Yusuke announced as he entered the café with a portfolio tucked under his arm.

"Sup, Inari." Futaba muttered as she chugged her third coffee.

"I'm fine, I've just been looking for you… I've finished the designs you asked for." The artist replied formally.

"Neato, lemme see." Futaba answered, sitting herself up properly.

"What are these designs for?" Haru asked curiously as she handed two glasses of orange soda to Ryuji.

"Merchandise. T-shirts, posters, keyrings, things like that. Futaba's fanbase have been requesting them for a while now, so she commissioned me to design some." Yusuke explained, placing the portfolio in front of Futaba. The orange haired lady eagerly flicked through.

"Holy crap, Inari… These're all amazing! I love them all! Sorry if I don't sound as excited as you wanted me to be, though… I only got four hours sleep."

"Thank you, but please sleep."

"Later. We gotta pick out the best designs. Futaba Sakura does not like to disappoint." She dismissed him as she continued scanning through the designs. Tobio perked up at that name.

"U-Um… Are you, by any chance, OverseerSakura, the streamer?" He anxiously asked Futaba.

"Huh?! Uh, oh, yeah. That's me." Futaba answered, shocked that someone recognised her. Tobio's eyes sparkled in awe.

"Amazing! You're my favourite streamer!" He cheered. Futaba was definitely awake now.

"R-Really? Wow, uh, th-thank you…" She replied, her cheeks flushing a bright red at the sudden compliment.

"I love your Tales Of streams!" Tobio continued, too excited to notice Ren delivering his curry.

"Th-Thanks… I just thought, y'know, since the new game's coming out next year, why don't I replay all of the other games?" Futaba giggled as she bashfully scratched the back of her head.

"Could I have a picture and autograph, please?!" Tobio requested energetically.

"Huh?! Um, sure! If you want to!" Futaba squealed.

"Really?!"

Yusuke walked over to Ren with a soft chuckle.

"It's nice to see her getting some appreciation… Wouldn't you agree?" He quietly asked.

"Yeah… She's definitely come outta her shell since she started streaming." Ren replied, smiling at Futaba before turning his attention to Yusuke.

"You want some curry too?" He asked.

"Oh, yes please. Thank you, Ren." Yusuke responded as he took a seat. As Ren piled some curry and rice onto a plate, he heard the bell ring again.

"Oh, hello, Mako-chan." Haru greeted her with her usual warm. Makoto let out a tired, irritated sigh as she seated herself next to Ann.

"Could I have a mocha and a brownie please?" She requested, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Of course, Mako-chan. You look like you need it…" Haru softly replied.

"Thank you…" Makoto yawned.

"Rough time dealing with idiots again?" Ren asked as he handed Yusuke his curry.

"If my higher up tells me that I need to settle down and get married one more time, I'm going to rip his arm off and beat him with it." Makoto huffed, clearly trying her best to keep her irritation in check.

"Maybe he needs to keep his dumbass opinions to himself." Ryuji clicked his tongue, annoyed just by hearing about this man.

"He's just mad that I beat his record of biggest gang bust when I caught the remainders of Kaneshiro's organisation." Makoto puffed as a smug smile appeared on her face.

"Nice!" Ann cheered, raising her hand for a high five. Makoto gave her one.

"I wouldn't pay any mind to him. He's a pathetic excuse of an officer who holds grudges over the most trivial of things." Goro spat as he continued typing.

"Oh? Do you know him?" Asked Makoto.

"He once told me that maybe I should just be a good little boy and let the adults handle things, so I suggested that maybe he should stop forging evidence." Goro nonchalantly informed her. Ren had to hold back his laughter.

"Oop!" Futaba snickered as she sipped her coffee.

"So, you know, if he insults you again, feel free to bring that up. He'll leave you alone after that." Goro suggested with a rather scary smile. Makoto returned the smile.

"Thank you… I'll keep that in mind…" She murmured mysteriously as Haru placed her order on the table.

"Oh, thank you, Haru." Makoto thanked her with a much sweeter smile.

"No problem at all, Mako-chan." Haru replied quietly. Ren thought that she looked quite tired.

"You okay?" He asked her with a whisper as she returned behind the counter.

"I'm fine." She responded as she began cleaning up the kitchen. Ren really couldn't help but worry. She'd been acting a little weird all day…

"Yo, Ren! Can we a refill over here?!" Ryuji called out, holding up his and Tobio's glasses.

"Sure thing!" Ren called back.

"Could I have a fruit salad? I've just realised I haven't had breakfast yet…" Futaba requested.

"Since when do you eat fruit salads over yakisoba?" Asked Ann.

"Since Sojiro's making me eat healthier." Futaba explained.

"Well, I think that's a good idea, considering you don't exercise much." Yusuke commented.

"No one asked, Inari."

"I was merely sharing my opinion… Besides, I was about to ask if he had any recipes he would recommend. I've been trying to eat a more balanced diet." Yusuke huffed.

"Oh. Well, I'll ask him for you." Futaba replied.

"Thank you."

"That resolved itself quickly!" Muttered Makoto.

"Be fair, this kinda thing is normal for them." Ryuji sighed.

"True…" Ann chuckled.

"Here you go, Futaba." Ren spoke up, placing the bowl in front of Futaba.

"Oh! Thanks, Ren!"

"No problem." Ren softly answered as he glanced up at the clock. 2:55PM.

"I'll have to go and pick up Ichigo in a little while." He uttered thoughtfully as he looked over at Haru, who was silently frowning at the floor.

"Hey… You sure you're okay?" He asked her, gently placing his hand on her arm.

"Excuse me…" was all she said as she carefully pushed past him and into the bathroom. Seconds later, they heard her gagging.

"Haru?! Are you alright in there?!" Ren asked worriedly.

"I-I'm fine…" Haru called back.

"I'll check on her." Makoto announced before entering the bathroom. Everyone else looked at each other awkwardly. Ren was starting to panic. After a few minutes, the two women emerged; Makoto letting the shaky Haru lean on her shoulder.

"I think it would be best if Haru went home to rest." Makoto declared.

"Yeah, I agree." Ren answered.

"No, Ren, I can't leave everything to you…" Haru protested weakly.

"Haru, you're clearly not feeling too well. Don't push yourself. I can handle things here, go relax!" Ren tried to persuade her, gently patting his wife's back.

"I'll drive her back and keep her company." Makoto offered, pushing Haru over to the door.

"B-But-"

"Seriously, it's fine, sweetheart. Just get better, okay?" Ren reassured her with a loving smile. Haru sighed as she accepted defeat and let Makoto guide her to her car. The moment the two ladies drove off, Ren let out a stressed huff.

"Okay, what am I gonna do? I've gotta pick Ichigo up from school but I can't leave the café unattended…" He muttered anxiously as he tried to form a plan of action.

"If you'd like, I could pick her up and bring her back here?" Yusuke politely offered, hoping to ease Ren's nerves.

"Would you?! Oh thank you so much, Yusuke! You're a lifesaver!" Ren gasped out in relief, throwing his arms around Yusuke for a thankful hug.

"It's quite alright. I'm guessing I need to leave now?" Yusuke chuckled.

"Uh, yeah, please. She finishes in about ten minutes, so it would be best if you headed out now." Ren explained as he began washing up dishes again.

"Alright then."

"Oh, hey, I'll walk partway with ya. I've gotta get this guy back to his house." Ryuji spoke up, handing the crutches over to Tobio.

"Very well."

"Thank you for the curry! It was delicious!" Tobio politely thanked Ren.

"No problem. Congratulations on beating all your goals!" Ren replied with a soft smile, pushing up his glasses.

"Hehe… Thank you." Tobio shyly giggled.

"Well then, we'll see you later."

"Yeah, see you guys later!"

"Mummy! We're home!" Ichigo cheered as her and Ren entered their apartment. Ren let out a tired huff as he stretched his back. After school finished, there was a sudden rush of parents bringing their children into the café for dinner. Morgana didn't mind at all because that meant he got plenty of pets and food from all of the children. But Ren was exhausted after preparing all of the meals by himself.

"We're home…" He yawned as he shut the door.

"Welcome home!" Haru cheerfully called back. Ren was relieved to hear that she already felt better. He'd been worrying about her for the entire afternoon.

"Welcome back." Makoto called out as she stood up from the sofa where Haru and her were watching TV.

"Auntie Makoto!" Ichigo squealed when she saw her, flinging her school bag onto the floor and rushing over. Makoto giggled and gave her a big hug.

"Uh, excuse me, little missy…" Ren spoke up. The two turned to look at him.

"Is that where your bag is supposed to go?" He asked Ichigo, raising his eyebrows and pointing at the bag in the middle of the floor.

"Nooooo…" Ichigo awkwardly answered.

"Where is it supposed to go?"

"On the hook by the door…"

"Could you put your bag where it belongs please, sweetheart?"

"Yes, daddy…" Ichigo pouted as she pushed herself away from her auntie. Makoto chuckled softly and patted the small girl on the back.

"Thank you. Oh, hey, Ichigo, I've gotta talk to Makoto about something, why don't you show mummy what you showed me earlier?" Ren suggested as Makoto joined him in the kitchen. Ichigo's eyes sparkled excitedly.

"Okay!" She agreed, pulling a sheet of paper out of her bag and running over to Haru.

"Mummy, look! I joined the gardening club!" She proudly announced, displaying the sheet to her mother.

"Oh, how lovely!" Haru giggled sweetly.

Ren chuckled lovingly at the sight as he stepped to the side. He couldn't help but notice the empty sink.

"You didn't have to wash up…" He muttered to Makoto, feeling a bit guilty that she did the dishes for him.

"I really did. If I didn't, Haru would have done when she was supposed to be resting." Makoto smirked with a roll of her eyes.

"Ah. Gotcha. Well then… Thanks." Ren understood immediately. Haru always had been quite stubborn when it came to little things like that.

"Anyway, uh… How's Haru doing?"

"She's a lot better now. We know what caused it but she'll tell you about it." Makoto informed him.

"O...Kay?" Ren mumbled, slightly concerned by the vagueness of Makoto's statement.

"Well, I've gotta head out. Nee-san asked me for some help rearranging some case files." Makoto announced as she pulled her car keys out of her bag.

"Alright, thanks again for taking care of Haru." Ren thanked her again, scratching the back of his neck.

"No problem, I was happy to help." She smiled.

"Ichigo, say goodbye to Makoto. She's going now." He called to his daughter.

"Already?!"

"I'm sorry, I have some work to do… But next time I have a day off, I'll come here and play with you! Okay?" Makoto offered with an understanding smile. Ichigo instantly cheered up.

"Yay! Bye bye, Auntie Makoto!" She shouted, waving her hand enthusiastically.

"Thanks for all your help, Mako-chan." Haru called out.

"No problem at all, Haru. Take care." Makoto called back before exiting the apartment, waving goodbye at everyone as she left. Ren locked the door behind her.

"Okie dokie… Hey, Pumpkin? Why don't you get changed out of your school uniform and try to think of what you'd like for dinner?" Ren asked his daughter.

"Okay!" Ichigo cheerfully agreed before skipping off to her bedroom. After making sure that she was out of earshot, Ren sat himself down next to Haru.

"You doing okay now? Makoto said you had something to tell me?" He asked, soothingly stroking Haru's hand with his thumb. A shy smile appeared on Haru's face.

"Well… I could use your help… figuring out how to tell Ichigo that she's going to be a big sister…" She giggled nervously, watching Ren carefully for his reaction. It took a few seconds for it to click. The moment it did, however, a huge wondrous grin formed on Ren's face.

"Really?!" He squeaked excitedly.

"Yes!" Haru laughed. "I found out this morning. I was late to the café because I had an appointment."

Suddenly all of Haru's strange behaviour throughout the day made sense to Ren. He kept trying to think of what to say, but his brain just couldn't form the words.

"I love you!" Was all he could say as he pulled Haru into a hug.

"I love you too!" Haru answered gleefully, wrapping her arms around Ren. As his brain buzzed from the excitement, Ren could only think one thing:

'I'm the luckiest guy in the world.'


End file.
